Yes, you must always undercoat before you gloss! Glossing is something you must get right for a job to be proud of.
Yes, there are some one-coat gloss brands on the market but they underperform and will never be as good as layering when painting.
- Sand any old paint off
- Apply knot treatment if required
- Apply a primer if bare wood
- Paint two layers of undercoat
- Then apply your desired colour of
gloss paint - Use a brush specifically for glossing
Why You Must Undercoat Before Applying Gloss Paint?
If you just paint gloss on bare wood such as skirting boards or spindles on the stairs you will discover that it soaks in and become translucent.
You can keep applying the gloss but the same thing will happen every time.
Bare wood sucks the moisture out of your gloss and makes it soak into the wood.
What a layer of undercoat does is: seal the wood against moisture retention, so when you apply the gloss it does not get absorbed by the wood creating a barrier.
- You get a much better finish
- It creates a key for your gloss to stick against
- The colour of the gloss will stand out better
- Your paint job will last many years
- You will protect the wooden accessories around the house
Conclusion
If you apply two coats of undercoat before glossing you will create a barrier for your gloss or even satinwood to dry hard creating a barrier to protect your wooden accessories for many years.
Gloss is not designed to be an all-in-one paint it’s a cosmetic coat of paint that adds colour and shine, which makes your paint job stand-out much better!